


Conquest of the Floating Isles

by MaverickKayPrime



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 22:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11610285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaverickKayPrime/pseuds/MaverickKayPrime
Summary: On the legendary Angel Island, there lays a diamond. A magical diamond with near limitless power. Landing in the ocean, this island is now causing multiple tidal waves which threaten coast lines all around the planet. Shadow and his ally Rouge intend to send the island back from whence it came. But the island's guardian rises to face them, and a defeated foe returns at his side. Sequel to The Conquest of Westside Island.





	1. Rising Conquest

Rising Conquest

“Mmmmffrrwwaaa!” yawned the bat as she trailed into her room.

Her home was large, far larger than your home or mind. A home bought by thousands upon thousands of material, all of which older than she was. She was a hunter of treasured artifacts. If it was beyond age, beyond history text books, and of course shined brighter than the sun, she was all over it. That was how she made such money, how she lived such a lavish and stylish life.

Inside her silky nightwear, she trailed down the halls of her massive home, exhausted and tired. After a long day of work, signing papers, reading papers, sitting in a cubicle, it felt good to finally come back home.

She was somewhat slow in her steps, making her way up and over to where her television laid. Though it was late – and she'd be going to sleep soon after – the bat couldn't help bu to see what her TV had for her. She laid upon the couch and her wings pulled in, while she lazily turned the television on.

“Welcome to DENA News!” the blonde woman on the screen said, flaring life into the dark room, “I'm Mizumi Takekawa, your reporter today, and we are far out on G.U.N.'s Letter of Abraham out past the bay of Blue Ridge Zone,” she stepped aside, allowing the camera to see an island far in the distance. The bat yawned at the sight, almost missing the flaring 'BREAKING NEWS' lines trailing the top and bottom of the screen, “Do you see this island far in the back? This island _wasn't_ here earlier! Discovered over a month ago, G.U.N. has disbarred anyone from stepping foot on the island until any more information has been gained. G.U.N. Believes this island is the cause of the sever tidal waves which have been slamming places all over the world. For now, G.U.N. advises everyone move inland until the tidal waves have ceased.”

“Ugggghhh...” the bat groaned as she rolled to her back, her ears bending to the television.

“It's as if this island fell from the _sky_ ,” said Mizumi on the screen.

“Fell... from the sky...” the bat commented before closing her eyes.

…

He had learned to master this power. A power unlike anything he had ever felt before. Imagine being able to do everything you could do, only amplified tenfold. No, _one-thousandfold!_ Imagine having near limitless power, with the only limit being your imagination. Gaining such power would be on everyone's mind, would it not? And how lucky this power arrived at this moment; as if right in the nick of time. For, you see, it was as if the world was _punishing_ them.

“Bernie! Bernie!” the blue hedgehog shouted as he pushed open the door, “Bernie! Bernie! Woman! Where are you!?”

The blue hedgehog stared around his home, his verdant eyes trailing up and around the home. Dress in a drenched jacket, he walked into the house with a face full of worry, wondering where his partner was. Hearing the sound of footsteps, his eyes moved to the staircase, where a purple hedgehog in a green dress began to walk from. Her blonde hair was matted down much like his, showing she too had been rained upon. Running downstairs, she stared at him, equally as alerted as he was.

“Jules, are you okay?” she asked in a worried manner, running to the hedgehog as she brushed his brown locks from his face, “Where's Charles? Please tell me everything's okay? H... how's the house?”

“Gone...” he answered, his head shaking too and fro in a less than stellar manner, “It's... almost all of Green Hill Zone is under water, Bernie... and those tidal waves don't look like they're stopping anytime soon...” staring outside the front door, he began to close it as the winds grew too strong, “Urgh! Dammit... few... ya'know...” he turned back to the woman, a smile on his face, “For a moment there, I was worried I wasn't coming back!”

He was met with a slap across the face. Confused by the action, he faced the woman, seeing these tears flow from her face. Then she kissed him; it was the most confusing array of emotions she could have run through at that moment. Holding him in place, she refused to let him go for well over a minute. Even when she pulled away, she remained holding onto him as tight as she could.

“Don't say something like that, Jules!” she stated, showing rage and relief at the same time. Somehow.

“Hey, Bernie... sorry for that,” he claimed as he nuzzled her close, “I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Look, Chuck and I are both alright. It's gonna take well more than a tidal wave to take care of us! I'll be damned if I can be transformed into a robot, then taken down by water! Pssshhht! It ain't nothing!”

“Just shut up,” Bernie laughed as she playfully punched him.

“Say... where's Maurice?” Jules eventually asked, his eyes staring around in search for him.

But his wife didn't answer. Instead, her eyes gazed out the window toward the storming skies outside. Jules eventually looked out as well, his head cocked to one side as he searched for what his wife searched for. He eventually walked back to the door and opened it up, stepping into the massive city outside. High above Starlight Zone, mixed with the storms above, a golden flame flew through the skies.

…

The deplorable state of the zone got to the bat. Though usually strong, firm, and without emotion, she let them show now. The many other mobians around, injured, hurt, unable to fight against the changes happening to their world, laid on the wet city streets. Children crying, various amounts of looting and damage, cruelty happening everywhere. This wasn't a fight they could win; one just can't battle against nature.

But she couldn't and wouldn't allow herself to be bothered by this sight. She came here with a job in mind, especially after his original location no longer existed. Bridge Zone was in ruins thanks to the water displacement; he would be wherever his family was.

Wings flapping, the white furred bat flew toward an apartment complex which stood far beyond the city streets. Her quest took her into a part of the city which looked mixed with an industrial complex. With the city being overrun with those who once lived on the coastline, many were relocated to areas once thought uninhabitable. To one of these parts of the zone did the bat fly.

She landed upon a catwalk, her eyes lining doors and homes. Reaching into her overall's pocket, she pulled out a piece of paper. Written upon it in mechanical print, the numbers '346'. Teal eyes running along doors, she read the numbers accordingly, before finally coming across '346'.

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

The door opened slowly, revealing a purple hedgehog with blonde hair on the other end. She stared at the bat, and the bat stared back. Both of them, eyeing one another closely. That is until the hedgehog snidely said,

“Oh... _Rouge_...”

“Hi, Bernie,” the bat replied with her usual sultry voice, smiling at her as she crossed her arms, “I see the tidal waves haven't been to kind to South Island,” her face slid into a gaze of sympathy, “I... I apologize for what happened to your home, Bernie. I mean... all of Green Hill Zone is just so--”

“Save it Rouge,” the hedgehog said as she stared around Starlight Zone outside, “You don't have to try and be civil. Be honest; you're here for Shadow, aren't you?” the bat nodded, finding no point in hiding it, “He's outside the city, at a Chao pond he frequents with the family pet...” grabbing her doorknob, she began to push it close, “You should find him there...”

“Bernie,” Rouge called once more, making the hedgehog stop, “Where's Jules?”

“He's at Green Hill Zone. Helping as many people as he can...” she continued closing the door, “Praying another tidal wave doesn't come...”

_CLASP!_

When the door slammed shut, the bat turned to face Starlight Zone once more. It was weird ya'know? Just over a few months ago, she and her ally was able to liberate all of West Side Island single-handedly. The odds were stacked so hard against them, yet they pulled out a victory through determination. But for what? Almost as soon as victory had been achieved, this island fell from the sky. And when that happened, tidal waves start slamming into each major coast in the world. As if this island was _attacking_ them.

But she knew this affecting no one more than her friend. The stoic, aloof, usually emotionless hedgehog she had come to know as her ally. This island, South Island, was his home. Where he grew up. To have it be constantly bombarded by powerful tidal waves must have hurt him in a way she didn't know.

Her wings opened, allowing her to descend slowly upon the land. Stepping onto green grass, the bat's teal eyes stared around to the land. She was actually quite surprised to see a place not marred by watery destruction of saddened faces. Instead, this small pond was littered by the smiling faces of the cutest little creatures on the planet.

Small, blue, with large eyes and fairy like bodies, they were the Chaos. Everyone knows what they are, though very few no where they come from. Some say aliens, some say angels from the heavens, others just say cute little pets. And, yeah, the latter is what they _really_ are.

“Chao, chao!” said the Chao as they played and frolicked in the lake, only to hover around the bat as she approached them.

She patted their heads, rubbed their faces, made little kissy faces, all while she approached the pond. Standing on the very edge, her eyes stared to the center. To which she saw _him_.

His back turned to her, she couldn't see his face. But she could see his jet black fur. Quills that owned red stripes. Gloves that were white and red, with golden rings around their wrists. A body that stood tall against everything. Chao floated to the center of the pond to visit him, and he pressed upon their heads. They seemed to find hope in his presence. They seemed to find hope in this darkened hero.

In the blink of an eye, an stone rose from the pond. It was green, and shined as brilliantly as the sun. This stone was joined by another one, a blue one. Then another, a light-blue one. Another one, a white one. Another one, a red one. Another one, a purple one. And a final one, a yellow one.

The hedgehog rose his hands and curled them into fists, while his body lurched over. These multicolored diamonds began rotating around his body, spinning at too great of speeds to quantify. The hedgehog's black and red body began to glow, while his quills started pointing skyward. What once was black slowly began to turn gold and yellow. The pond's pristine waves began to grow turbulent. The wind around the hedgehog began to howl. And in spite of all this, the Chao played and danced.

“HA!”

_FOOOOSH!_

Water from the pond ripped into the sky as a pillar, causing the bat to cover her eyes. The hedgehog in the center of the pond was no longer black, but instead a golden-yellow color. He no longer stood in the pond, but instead floated above it. His quills jutted up, and his entire body exuded power. The Chao flew to him then, playing around him, laughing, giggling. They weren't put off by his near god-like power, instead entranced by it.

And then his head turned. He looked over his shoulder toward the bat, revealing his stern face. Eyes a powerful burning red, he glared at the bat behind him. And she gazed back.

“Hey! Shadow! Having fun with the Chaos Emeralds!?” Rouge shouted as she waved her hand at him.

He rolled his eyes at the bat, before flying down to her. Landing upon the ground before her, his show of power died off. Golden-yellow fur turned black once more, while every bit of his super transformation vanished. The seven stones he used to transform stopped their brilliant shine, as they instead fell to the ground.

“Rouge...” Shadow said as he crossed his arms, “What brings you here?”

“Mmm...? Really asking me that, _Maurice?_ ” she asked, making him snarl.

“I now regret my parents ever telling you that...” the hedgehog growled back, his eyes peering down upon her, all the while she giggled.

“Lighten up, Shadow!” she said as she poked his chest, “I'm only playing. Considering what's happened to South Island, I think a little laughter is something you need...” she grew a tad bit sympathetic then, “Shadow. I went to Bridge Zone... I saw what happened to your house. What's... left of it, anyway.”

“Doesn't matter...” Shadow replied, shrugging off his own home like it was nothing, “I wasn't focusing on the Bridge Zone anyway. I was trying to stop the tidal waves from destroying my parent's home...” he then looked at the bat, eyes softening, “Now, back to my earlier question; why are you here?”

“We're after the same things, you and I, Shadow,” Rouge claimed as she walked to his side, “I'm pretty sure you know by now. About that island that fell from the sky that's causing all of this. Well... when a tidal wave attacked Blue Ridge Zone, I and many other G.U.N. agents left to—”

“G.U.N.?”

“I've already told you about G.U.N., Shadow. Stop acting like this is the first time you've ever heard of it... anyway, I came across _this!_ ”

Suddenly the bat pulled out a ring from her pocket. It was like any other ring one would find on mobian territory, being golden and perfectly round. But there was something about this ring that was far different from any other ring Shadow had seen before. Picking up the ring, he noticed it was rougher than the others. Lacking a perfect curvature, this ring appeared to be marred by age, wear, and tear. But there was something on the inside of the ring, Shadow could see words. Words he didn't understand.

“This... what is this?” he asked as he looked at the bat.

“It came from that island, I know it...”

“How?”

“Simply because the island landed so close to Blue Ridge Zone... think of it; an island that fell from the sky! Who knows what kind of goodies lay on it, if it was able to cough up this ring. It's so old! If it was a diamond, I'd consider adding it to my collection!”

Shadow ignored that last bit as he instead squeezed the ring in his hand. It was unlike any other ring he had collected. Those mystical golden bands that are so uncommon. They do something to him that he simply can't explain. That same mysterious power seemed to exude from this ring as well. But...

“Just imagine what's on the island, Shadow!”

“I don't care for any of that,” the black and red hedgehog replied as he looked at the bat, “I care about putting that island back from where it came!... Wherever that is, anyway...” he tossed the ring back to Rouge who caught it, “Where is this island, anyway?”

“What do you plan on doing, Shadow?” the bat asked, her smirk appearing as usual, “Gonna fly to where that island is and use that new fangled super power of yours to punch it into the sky?”

“Don't patronize me,” Shadow growled, “I haven't seen any of those humans doing much to stop the tidal waves. They protect themselves, and I protect these islands as best I can...” he looked at her, “Why haven't you and your G.U.N. done anything about the island yet?”

“Oh, so _now_ you remember G.U.N., huh Shadow?” she asked, taking a jab at him, “Listen, we're doing the best we can. And it appears as if you're doing as best you all can as well. I've heard from a lot of people how you keep fighting tidal waves. Must take a lot out of you, huh?”

“Going super really helps,” Shadow claimed as he opened and closed his hands.

“How does it feel, by the way? Is all that training good for you? Is transforming even good for you?”

“None of that matters...” Shadow claimed, his voice solemn, “But... what does that ring say, anyway? Can you even read it?”

“Oh, this old thing?” the bat replied as she ran her eyes through the ring's engraving, “Chaos created Angel Island.... hm...”

“Hm? Is that all?” Shadow asked.

“Yeah. Look, Shadow, it's just one ring, and this ancient print is large. I can tell you it's echidna, however. And you know, echidna mobians have been extinct for eons. Ever since the fourth great civilization vanished from the planet, echidnas just went extinct. Must've under-bred, if you catch my drift, heh!”

“Hm... Angel Island... and echidnas...” looking away, Shadow couldn't help but to think back to Hidden Palace Zone, “I wonder...” then he thought about that orange echidna, “Tikal...”

“Tikal? What's that?” Rouge asked.

“Nothing...” Shadow answered as he finally uncrossed his arms to walk off, “So... where is this 'Angel Island'?”

“Like I said, off the coast of Blue Ridge Zone. Luckily for us it fell in the middle of the ocean and not somewhere else. Lord knows what trouble we'd be in – hey! Hey! Shadow! Where are you going!?”

“Where do you think I'm going?” the black and red hedgehog answered as he walked over a hill. On the other side of said hill, there laid a red and white vintage-style biplane. The vehicle stood pristine on the grassy knoll, looking untouched despite the turbulent island all around it, “I'm going to Angel Island.”

“I'm not really surprised your beloved Tornado survived everything that's going on,” Rouge said as she looked the plane up and down, “You made sure to save it, didn't you?”

“Enough talking, and enough fooling around, I'm going to this 'Angel Island', and I'm going to stop it from causing all these tidal waves!”

He was just about to turn the Tornado on, when Rouge placed her hand on the dashboard. Looking up to the bat who flew to land on his plane's engines.

“Shadow... don't mean to be rude buuuuut... do you even _know_ where Blue Ridge Zone is?”

He opened his mouth to answer her question, but was hit with silence. To his own surprise, he actually didn't know where Blue Ridge Zone is. Was it near Neo Green Hill Zone? Could it be near Pumpkin Hill Zone? He had no idea where it was.

“Duuuuuhh...”

“'Duuuuuhh', you're right!” Rouge said, finger wagging in his face, “Besides, G.U.N. has the island on pretty hard surveillance until we're sure what's going on there...”

“Good thing my friend is a G.U.N. Agent...” he then put his finger on the ignition, “Where is it, Rouge?”

“You really are going to this Angel Island place, aren't you?” the bat asked, eyelids sliding down, “Like... seriously? And what do you plan to do when you get there, Shadow? Just use a large Chaos Control and _hope_ it goes where you want it to go?”

“That's a thought... but I won't know until I get there, Rouge. So, please, help me find Angel Island or get off my plane so I can find it! I don't have much time before another tidal wave comes flying out of nowhere...”

“Listen, Shadow,” said the bat as her hand dropped upon his hand, “If _we_ are going to Angel Island, then I'm doing the flying!”

“Who said anything about 'we'?” Shadow asked, a rare smile appearing on his lips.

“I did, and unless you can convince an entire G.U.N. fleet to not shoot you down, I think it's best you let me do all the piloting!”

“For some reason,” Shadow commented as he pulled out of his plane's cockpit, “I can't help but to think you're in this for _another_ reason...” he climbed upon his biplane's wings then, while the bat got in the cockpit, “Remember, Rouge, our mission is to simply put this island back where it came from! Wherever that is...”

“Yeeeaaaaaaah, I'll _try_ to humor you,” the bat said as she flipped the ignition of the biplane, causing the propeller to start spinning, “ _Buuuuuuut_ , if while we're there we do come across something interesting, do you mind if I have my fill?”

“Rouge...”

“Okay, okay! Jeeze Shadow, you're so unfun!”

Pressing her foot on the gas, the bat caused the plane to fly along the green fields. Chao that were intrigued by Shadow and Rouge saw them off as they lifted off into the sky, while few joined them in the air. When the bat and hedgehog finally pulled free of the zone, they took a quick course redirection for Starlight Zone.

Flying high above the zone, many stared up to the biplane owned by their hero. It was a sign of hope for those who were displaced by the tidal waves slamming into their home. A sign that all of this was going to stop soon enough.

“Bernie, I'm back,” Jules said as she walked through the door, somewhat wet, though dried thanks to the walk back home.

The blue hedgehog gave a sigh of relief as he removed his wet jacket, throwing it to the ground. From the kitchen, his wife appeared, smiling at him. She walked to her beloved and kissed him, only for the howl of an engine to echo far above them. Gazing out the window, the two watched as a certain red biplane flew through the air.

“Well it's about time!” Jules claimed, “What's for dinner?”

“Jules!”

…

The Tornado barreled through the ocean waves, gliding calmly above water as it rushed through the air. The Black Wind stood on the wings of his plane, arms crossed, eyes close, entire body in deep contemplation. He was going over in his mind what he should do about the island, and how to stop the constant tidal waves attacking the world. There had to be an answer to all of this.

“Alright! There it is!” Rouge's voice cried from over the engine, making the hedgehog open his eyes.

Just ahead, there laid an island. And it was _grand_. So grand, should it even be called an island anymore? More like an entire _country_. This 'island' was easily larger than the entirety of South Island, and even West Side Island; being twice the size of _both_. It's large mountains stretched high above the skies, and from this distance the hedgehog could see temples, waterfalls, and other signs of ancient life. A variable island of endless life; one untouched by outside hands. Clearly, the name 'Angel Island' was a befitting one.

“It's beautiful...” Rouge commented.

“CIVILIAN!” a roar suddenly echoed from above, “YOU ARE ENTERING A HIGHLY VOLATILE AREA! TURN BACK NOW!”

The warning came from above. Gazing up, there hovered a large airship. Adorned with G.U.N. insignia, it was clearly one of the government's newest air fleet models. Rouge was just about to open her mouth in order to speak back the ship, and even turned the biplane to get closer, when another call echoed beyond even her's.

“Rouge!” Shadow yelled, “Pay attention!”

She looked at the hedgehog, watching as he suddenly grew incredibly serious. Fists tightening, the hedgehog's eyes were locked on Angel Island before them. Suddenly, a green shimmer occurred from the entire island. Rouge cocked her head at the sight, stunned that she actually saw so. From this green shine, the water around the island began to rise. And then, a deafening roar.

_RRRRRREEEAAAAAAARRRRRRR!_

A shock wave echoed from Angel Island, and a tidal wave rose high. Rouge, stunned by the sight, quickly began to pull up on the plane to dodge such an attack. But the tidal wave was far too large to dodge in their short window of time. The G.U.N. airship which called out to them had enough time to pull to safety, but they were right in the lion's teeth.

“Give me a second,” Rouge said as she readied to activate the Tornado's jet engine, “I've got this!”

“No time!” Shadow answered, “Besides, that tidal wave's just going to keep going before it crashes somewhere else! I've got this!”

Shadow's balled his hands into tight fists, and started to let loose a subtle growl. Around him, the seven Chaos Emeralds appeared. Not wasting time, the hedgehog's body suddenly turned a golden-yellow. Exploding with power, he flew off toward the tidal wave heading his way. His entire body surged with power, and he pulled back his arms. Now face to face with the wave itself, the golden Black Wind slammed is hands together in a mighty clap.

_THOOOOM!_

The mighty action triggered a powerful sonic boom which sent the tidal wave sky high. Creating a perfect gap for the Tornado, Shadow continued to fly toward Angel Island with Rouge right behind.

…

“They've gotten through...”

If the echidna was stunned, he sure didn't show it. His eyes, peering into the mighty green stone before him, saw the image of their biplane landing on his island's beach. He grunted at the sight, growled too, but took a calming deep breath. It was expected of them to get close. After all, they held the _Chaos_ _Emeralds_. And for the longest time, he thought there were nothing more but legends.

The first trap laid out by his island's defenses had finally been broken; an outsider has stepped foot on Angel Island. With it on the ocean's surface, he felt vulnerable. There was no telling what could happen with island in its current state, and the thought of Chaos egg hatching made time that much more essential.

“So... has your guest arrived yet?” a stern, overbearing, older voice called from down the chamber.

“Yes... he's arrived, just as you said he would,” the echidna replied, hand curling into a fist, “And he does indeed have the Chaos Emeralds.”

“I'm not surprised by this assessment... such a shame; my welcoming committee is running a tad bit late. Do you mind paying him a visit? As you may well know, he owns the Chaos Emeralds, and only you know of their secrets.”

The echidna nodded before turning to face the mighty Emerald sitting before him. Caressing it just a bit, he felt himself being invigorated by his mission. The footsteps behind him grew in sound, before finally stopping to his right. The red echidna looked up and over, seeing a grown human man, with small glasses, in a brown formal suit, and a most magnificent mustache. The doctor smile.

“You must get going, Knuckles,” he said, “I don't mean to alert you, but our dear friend is a demon in every sense of the word. He won't hesitate to take the Master Emerald if it gives him the power he seeks,” suddenly, the man flared a blue color, revealing his image to be false, “I shall be waiting at the onset of the zone for you.”

And in the blink of an eye, he vanished. The red echidna stood in the chamber alone then, his purple eyes trailing back to the rock before him. Closing his eyes and leaning in, he looked as if he were praying. But then he pulled back and nodded.

“I will protect you, Master Emerald... I will...”

Then he ran free of the area, dashing to meet his new opponent.

 


	2. Celestial Island Zone

Celestial Island Zone

The Master Emerald. A mystical rock it is. In many different ways, it works. It changes, it pulls, it works forces on our lives. Most don't even know it exists, despite the pivotal role it plays in the world. Many forces have attempted to use it. It's a vessel of infinite power, after all. For as long as the world has been alive, those echidna's have watched over it. Why? No one knows. They just do it. Maybe its a curse by the gods. Yes, they _must_ look after it. Or else.

Purple eyes opened. Something was amiss. Slowly getting to his feet, this red being glared toward the glowing green rock before him. Something crashed here, something large, big, and powerful. Through out the entire zone, he could feel a quake which rushed through his very core.

He stood to his feet, eyes glaring left and right. The sanctity of his home had been challenged for the first time in his life. His heart raced at a thousand beats a minute; nearly giving him a heart attack from fear alone. All his years of training, all his years of learning, all of his years of solitude was finally about to pay off.

Knuckles the echidna stood tall. He glared straight forward to the mighty pedestal which held a jewel larger than any jewel before. It was perfect in its size and cut, and its shine gave light to the entire room. Staring at the mystical stone, the red echidna could see images within. A large egg, deep inside the island's largest lake.

He turned and ran quickly, rushing down the hall. He ran down the blue-green ruins of the mighty zone, heading straight for a chamber separate from the rest. This chamber led to various other rooms, all of which he remembered like the back of his gloved hand. Heading to one on his left, he ran into a room with a single device. It was weird; a silver stand with a red sphere in the center. Stepping into the sphere, a bright white light engulfed him.

He felt himself being thrown somewhere. All of time and space flew around his body, though he stood still like usual. The bright shine, zero-gravity feeling, the way his body felt as he was being thrown somewhere; it's enough to give a lesser being a headache. But when it was all over, he was somewhere different. Gone the ruinous halls, instead replaced by endless green glass.

The echidna walked through the green groves of grass and bushes, before coming across a pristine lake. And right out there in the lake, a large black sphere. Smoke flowed from it, while it laid in the deep body of water.

What was this monstrosity that challenged his sacred home? He had never seen anything like it. None of his history tomes spoke of such a thing, none of his people's prophecies foretold of such a thing's coming, nothing he learned from his father said anything about an egg appearing in the lake. But if he had one thing to say – something that made the most sense to him – he'd go as far as to call the egg...

“Chaos...”

…

The golden Black Wind gazed down upon the island, now floating directly above it. His breathing was somewhat rapid, while his super charged body hovered in the air. Burning red eyes sliding up, he stared to the massive island before him. He was like an ant in a kitchen. Even in his transformed state, he wondered if it were possible to traverse the entire island in only one day.

_VRRRROOOOOOM!_ The howl of his biplane echoed above him, making him descend.

The Tornado performed an expert turn, avoiding the jungle foliage below and instead landing calmly upon the beach. After parking, the pilot turned the engine off. He drifted near the plane, his eyes on the white-furred bat inside. She stared at him and he stared back, before nodding some silent command.

Suddenly, what was gold on his body turned black. His god-like power vanished, as he ceased floating and instead fell to the ground. At the same time, the bat he conversed with leaped out of the plane to land on the beach beside him. They said nothing, though traded glances with one another. Then in unison, the duo stared to the jungle directly before them.

“Wow...” Rouge mumbled, in complete awe of the island, “I... I never thought it would be so... _big_. I mean, it was from the outside, but on the inside...”

“We're not here to sight-see,” Shadow said as he walked ahead, “I'll be back in a second, Rouge. Make sure the Tornado's secure...”

“But wait,” _ZOOOM!_ “Ugh... Shadow...”

The Black Wind skated at sonic speeds through the forest, blasting through with the wind howling around him. His red eyes moved left and right to the blurring zone around him, taking note of everything.

Suddenly skidding to a halt, he came to a cliff overlooking a mighty waterfall. Shadow stared up to the zone, feeling completely awed by the region. It was unlike the zones on South Island or on West Side island. Not a single soul stirred within the zone, save for various animals who weren't mobians. Even a few flickies and cuckies jaunted around in the zone. An island untouched by outside hands. This forest was nature at its purest.

The Black Wind shook his head however, feeling he had spent far too much time enjoying the scenery. So far, everything felt completely normal, save for the complete lack of any intelligent life other than animals. There appeared to be no immediate danger, and also no immediate answer to his dilemma.

_The servers are the seven Chaos..._

Shaking his head, Shadow suddenly put his arms over his face in an 'X' manner. In a flash, the seven Chaos Emeralds appeared around his body. They began twirling around Shadow's body at rapid speeds, while his ebony fur turned gold and yellow. Eyes opening, those ruby eyes flared like flames.

“HAH!”

_Chaos is power, power is enriched by the heart._

His body transformed, he was now Super Shadow. The hedgehog started to levitate beyond the zone, while his body surged with power. Gazing down to oasis he came upon with the mighty waterfall crashing above, Shadow began to charge his powers.

_The controller is the one that unifies Chaos_.

He turned a green color as his powers were maximized, and he readied a grand scale Chaos Control. He didn't know what to do, and maybe he was being a tad bit premature with his actions, but his mind was set. A Chaos Control unlike any other, one strong enough to teleport an entire _island_ somewhere else. He wasn't even sure if such a thing was possible, but it was time to test this theory.

_Only you can do this!_

But then, something hit him.

_Stop the Chaos Emeralds! CHAOS CONTROL!_

“URGH!?”

Shadow's eyes grew wide, as he felt a powerful jolt rocket through his body. It felt like a green bolt of power ran through his body, while his pupils grew small. All the power he had gained left his body in a flash, and he fell to to the earth upon his back with a mighty _SMACK!_ The hedgehog groveled on the earth, pain running through his entire body. Now Shadow was exhausted, and extremely confused.

“What the hell?” he remarked as he struggled to his knees, red eyes on his arms, “But? I was super? What happened?” gaining enough strength, Shadow was able to get onto his feet, “Where are you!? I know you're here! Show yourself now!”

Despite being forced to power down and feeling in a weakened state, Shadow felt more than capable of taking on whoever did such a thing. He rose his fist in a battle stance, and eyed the forest he arose from. His eyes constantly moved around in search of his foe, completely dumbfounded by his situation. His attacker was around.

_CRACK._

Actually, his attacker was right under his _feet_.

_POW!_

The ground suddenly exploded, sending rocks and dirt sky high. At the same time, a red blue flew from the ground. Shadow pulled back, right as a rock struck the bottom of his chin. The blow threw him back and nearly sent him over the edge of the cliff, but he quickly recoiled. Shaking his head from the dazing blow, the Black Wind stared ahead to his assailant.

His vision was blurred between being weakened and hit, but he could make out something. His foe was tall, red, and muscular. Long dreads hung from his head, and they swayed with his every movement. His body held various markings on it, all of which were white and very _Mayan_ looking. His hands were covered in gloves much like many mobians, But these gloves of his were large, and with spikes on its knuckles.

The Black Wind gasped at the sight, though he quickly hardened himself for battle. There was intelligent life on this island; a mobian in fact. But this mobian looked unlike any mobian he had ever seen before. He would say, this red one looked a lot like the spirit he met in Hidden Palace Zone. And that's when it hit him.

He was facing an _echidna_.

His enemy clenched his fist, causing them to flare green briefly. Then pulling back his arm, the echidna delivered a devastating punch to the ground beneath his feet. The earth-shattering blow sent ripples through the ground, and destroyed the cliff Shadow stood upon. The hedgehog fell into the massive oasis below, only for his blur to suddenly leap into the sky.

“I'll put you in your place,” Shadow growled as he pointed the palm of his hand toward the red echidna, “CHAOS SPEAR!”

And _nothing_ happened. No, wait, something did happen. Nothing but a plume of smoke came from his palm.

“What the?” the Black Wind bemoaned as he stared at his hand, not paying attention to the red echidna flying his way.

Imagine being hit by a _train._ That much force, coming that fast, slamming right into your chin. It was a killing blow, had it stricken anyone else. Shadow's entire body rumbled, while his mouth slammed shut. In mid air, his body was sent reeling back. And all of light fell from his body, basking him in darkness.

_SPLASH!_

…

“...adow... Sha... adow... Shad... ow... Shadow... Shadow...! Shadow..! Shadow! Shadow! Shadow! SHADOW!!!”

“Huh!? Wha?”

He quickly pulled up, only to fall back with his arms on his head. Clenching it tightly, the ebony hedgehog roared from sudden pain. Right then and there, he was suffering from the worse headache ever to plague his head. His brain rumbled in his skull, which causing him to nearly spasm with pain. Using brute force and will power, the hedgehog was able to quell his thumping brain, but not without a few audible growls.

He looked over his shoulder, his red eyes meeting teal. Rouge was there at his side, showing considerable amounts of worry for him. All around them, the zone was bathed in a nighttime hue. The stars twinkled above, and the moon gazed upon them through the clouds. Suddenly, Rouge expressed a sight of relief, and her face softened.

“Thank goodness you're okay,” the bat said, her eyes checking his face, “You must've took quite a whalloping... I mean, just look at you.”

Her hand pointed to the river beside them, and Shadow crawled over to check it. Eyeing his reflection in the river, he could see he had taken quite a bruising. His face was already bandaged thanks to Rouge, but he didn't really care that much about it.

“Rouge,” he said as he faced the bat, “What happened?”

“You tell me,” the bat said, “I wait out there near the tornado for _hours_ before I finally get the nerve to come searching for you! Then I find you at the bottom of some waterfall, unconscious with your face beaten! You should be telling me what happened! Did you fall or something?”

“No!” the hedgehog growled, eyes glowing as his rage spiked, “I was out here, no, up there, then I went super and...” he checked his fingers, “And then, this _echidna_ attacked me!”

“Echidna!?”

“Yeah! Aren't they extinct!? That echidna attacked me, and somehow... I think he turned off my _super_ _state!_ ”

“Now that's impossible, Shadow,” the bat said, “When you go super, you're invulnerable to everything! I mean, you fell form space as a super and it didn't kill you, so how could someone – let alone a species that's _extinct –_ take away your super? I swear...” she then pointed at him in a teasing manner, “Did you really just fall in here and hit your head? C'mon Shadow, are you embarrassed and are just playing with me?”

The hedgehog glared at her, eyes down in a powerful scowl. Rouge kept teasing him, only for something to hit her. It was stupid of her to think Shadow was playing with her. Why? Because Shadow _never_ plays games. He was attacked, his super state stolen from him, and all by an _echidna_.

“Well... uh...” the bat said as she scratched her head, “Then... why don't you transform and start flying for him?”

“Good idea!” the hedgehog said as he struggled to his feet – nearly falling over as he did so.

He curled his fists in and started to focus his energy, calling upon the Chaos Emeralds to aid him. But as he did so, the stones never appeared. The seven emeralds of ultimate power never once teleported to his side like they usually did. After a minute or two where he attempted to summon them, Shadow found himself falling to his knees. And then, another bombshell fell on him.

“Shadow... something wrong?” the bat asked as she walked to him.

“Rouge...” he said as he looked over his shoulder to her, “The Chaos Emeralds are gone!” he looked back at his hands as he stood to his feet, “That... echidna _took_ the Chaos Emeralds from me!”

Rouge said nothing, instead gasping at Shadow's statement. The hedgehog checked his body just to make sure the Chaos Emeralds weren't on his person, before realizing his fears were true. If he didn't have the Chaos Emeralds, then surely that echidna – whoever he was – had them.

For the first time in his life, the Black Wind felt utter defeat. And he _hated_ it.

“Urgh! When I get my hand on him, I'll--”

“Shadow!”

“What?”

“Shut up and look up!”

He did as she said, gazing toward the canopies of the trees ahead. Matching with the night sky, the two mobians could see a fleet of dark blue machines flying above. Shadow cocked his head in confusion at the sight before turning to chase them. He zipped through the woods with Rouge behind him, following the machines as they went beyond a massive tree. Noticing a hole in said tree, the duo ran inside to see it was hollowed out on the inside. There was an exit higher up in the hollowed out tree, one they could reach.

With sonic speeds, Shadow and Rouge were able to scale the wall by constantly running up in a spiral up the cylindrical tree. They came out the exit of the tree onto a plateau which led into a cave. Heading into said cave, they were stunned as the wind howled in the area.

Staring up, both mobians watched as one of those blue machines descended to meet them. It was larger in size than the both of them, with thrusters keeping it afloat. Three pipes sat on its head side by side, and a it owned a nozzle on the front like a nose.

“Rouge,” Shadow said as he eyed the machine, specifically the small 'head' it owned, “What is that...?”

“I haven't the slightest clue... it doesn't look like any machine G.U.N. has in its arsenal...” she stepped back, “And... it doesn't even look like it fits on this island...”

“Heh, doesn't matter...” Shadow commented with a smirk, his hand cackling with power, “I _really_ need to destroy something right now. It'll help me blow off some steam!”

He dashed for the machine, when it's nozzle spewed fire upon his body. Surrounded in it, he used his Chaos powers to project a shield around his body. Meanwhile their mysterious foe pulled back, and the pipes on its back opened up. Shadow and Rouge watched as from these pipes, _missiles_ flew out. So they weren't pipes, but instead rocket launchers.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Shadow and Rouge scattered as the machine they faced fired rocket after rocket, all of which aiming to fall on them. The two mobians dodged the explosions, while the Black Wind's hand cackled with power. Facing the machine, his powers formed and orb in his hand which he pulled back.

“Chaos Spear!” he shouted as he fired a blast of pure Chaos energy toward his enemy.

It flew with deadly accuracy, ready to sever the machine in half. Only for...

_PLINK!_

… The blast to be deflected.

Shadow grew wide eyed at the sight as his Chaos Spear was flung harmlessly into the distance. Time seemed to slow for Shadow at that moment, while his broad eyes peered at the machine. His Chaos Spears could destroy _anything_. There was only one force capable of fighting back against his blast. Machines created by a very specific _doctor_.

“SHADOW WATCH OUT!”

“OOF!?”

Suddenly tackled to the ground, he narrowly avoided rockets poised to set him ablaze. Rouge gazed down on Shadow as she gave him an annoyed expression, only for the hedgehog to suddenly roll atop him. His body started to emit dark colors, which expanded in a shield atop both of them. This shield protected them from the _hundreds_ of rockets which fell soon after.

The two laid like that for a few minutes, before Shadow's shield diminished. Breathing a hard breath, he gazed down to the bat below who hung close to his chest. She looked somewhat scared by the surroundings, but quickly calm down as he pulled back.

“You okay?” Shadow asked of his ally, who nodded.

“Yeah but... it's a tad bit _hot_ in here and... _bright?_ ”

They looked away together, seeing the entire zone was now on fire. All the beauty the zone once held was gone, replaced by a blazing inferno resembling the gates of Hell. Shadow began to sweat from the heat of the fire, before facing the cave on the other end of the plateau.

“What was all that?” Rouge asked, “I mean, who did this? The island is...”

“I have an idea...” Shadow growled, “But first... let's keep chasing them down!”

Suddenly running for the cave, Rouge followed. The duo rushed through the cave as fast as they could, coming to a waterfall on the other side. The crashing waves hid platforms within, which constantly appeared through the rushing waves. Gazing up, Shadow could see the machine they faced move to a higher plane. Scoffing, he began leaping between the platforms which appeared in the water, making his way up higher the waterfall in chase.

When he suddenly slipped from a watery stone, Rouge grabbed his hand. She pulled him up to a cliff where safety laid and gave a small smile. He nodded, before quickly grabbing her and dashing out of the way. Right as he did so, a grey object fell to the ground and exploded. The two mobians gazed up to a tree, where a monkey was. But, no, it _wasn't_ a monkey. Blue and silver, with large eyes, this monkey was a _machine_.

And it looked _incredibly_ similar to the coconuts that once occupied Emerald Hill Zone.

“OOK! OOK! OOK!” the machine laughed before it threw another one of its exploding rounds at them.

Shadow and Rouge dodged the next explosive coconut, while the hedgehog charged one of his signature blasts. Hurling at the machine, he destroyed it with one blow.

“Okay, this is looking _far_ too familiar,” Rouge said as she stared at the smog of the Badnik before, “Like... almost a repeat... Shadow? What are you doing?”

He ignored her, instead walking to where the Badnik's caucus laid. Reaching down into the pieces of discarded armor, he pulled out a small animal. It was weak, injured, and pained beyond understanding. But relief flushed over it, as it was freed from its horrifying hell. Clutching the animal close, the Black Wind growled. But his growls diminished seconds later, as he turned to face Rouge.

“I don't even know why I'm so surprised. Like, seriously,” he stated, “I kill him once, he comes back again. I kill him again, and yet he returns. And now, here he is _again!_ ” his moment of calm quickly vanished as he turned a burning red, “Every single time! EVERY SINGLE TIME!” the zone began to quake as his rage spiked, “HE JUST DOESN'T DIE! HE JUST! DOESN'T! DIE!”

“SHADOW!” Rouge yelled at him, making his eyes lock on her position, “SHUT UP!”

He was still anger – and would continue to be angry – but his words had its affect. Shadow's burning aura dissipated and his demeanor shifted. Now instead of being incredibly angry, he was just super angry. Guess you couldn't really tell a difference, huh.

“I'm going to kill him...” Shadow said as he continued on his path, “I am going to _slaughter_ him!”

Rouge remained behind as Shadow started running through the blazing forest. Flapping her wings to blow away smog which threatened her, she soon after took off to follow Shadow. The two ran through the burning zone as fast as usual, quickly coming across a series of Badniks. They were blue and like worms, and all hovered above the ground.

But Shadow didn't care. With just a few swipes of his hand, he sent blast down that destroyed them. Instead, he focused his attentions on the machine which they chased. It eventually vanished deeper into the forest, its path being blocked by a sudden blazing tree which fell in Shadow's wake. It was a large tree, and easily decimated the section of forest they ran through. The hedgehog shook his fist, enraged by his stroke of bad luck before his ally tapped his shoulder. He looked to her and she looked back. With a wink and a nudge, she grabbed his hand and flew skyward with him in tow.

“Keep an eye out for him,” Rouge said as they hovered above the inferno, “I can keep you up here as long as you like.”

Shadow put his hand flat against his eyes and stared around for the machine in question, just in time to catch it. The machine zoomed through the forest below, dashing at great speeds. Shadow's entire being turned blue then, as he began flying on his own. Rouge was confused, as he instead held her bridal style. With a sudden snarl, he was off.

_KERPOW!_

He flew for the machine at high speeds, with the world blurring around them. Hand reaching out, he could just grab the machine, only for it to suddenly vanish. Taken aback by this, Shadow came to a sudden halt. His powers vanished around him and he landed safely on the ground with Rouge in his arms. Putting her down, the two stared around the burning meadow in search for their foe.

“It's somewhere around here,” the hedgehog claimed as he gazed around, “Somewhere... I can here it... eh?”

Together, they leaped away. Rockets fell on their position, causing an explosion. After safely dodging the strike, the duo gazed up to the canopies around them, watching as a machine descended upon them. The very same machine from before.

The 'Fire Breather' hovered just above the ground, it's optics beaming down on the two mobians. Both got ready for a fight as they readied themselves for battle, when the machine they squared with spewed fire from it's nozzle. The flames doused the area before it, causing Shadow to roll to safety. Quickly countering with a spear of chaos, his blast was deflected. It was a simple ruse however, for with a mighty axe kick, Rouge struck the machine.

The attack sent it flying back, while Shadow landed. Putting his hands apart, he started to charge up another blast. Meanwhile, the Fire Breather shot rockets from its launcher. Rouge ran to strike the machine, while it's missiles fell on Shadow's position. However – with amazing concentration – the hedgehog was able to send the rockets flying elsewhere.

Rouge struck the machine's side with a sobat. The move – while fast and weak – was strong enough to deter the machine's aim to set Shadow ablaze. It quickly pulled back, where it spewed flames upon Rouge next. She leaped away from the attack and flew above, all the while the Black Wind's charge reached its climax.

“Heh, heh, heh,” he chortled, voice somewhat demonic, “Doctor... I know you can here me. If you thought this tin bucket was enough to kill us both, you were sorely mistaken. So here, take this. A gift from your enemy, who has become far stronger than you could ever imagine! CHAOS SPEAR!”

Shadow put both hands together, their palms together. His entire body exploded with a golden hue, before he sent a spear of absolute power careening the machine's way. His blast ripped through the Fire Breather's body, causing it to detonate rather quickly. The force of the explosion sent Rouge back, though she landed safely upon her feet.

With the fight over, the bat stood tall. Her eyes glanced over at Shadow soon after, who was walking ahead with a cocky smile on his face. He then stopped at the Fire Breather's body and kicked its shell, only to look at Rouge shortly after.

“Didn't even break a sweat,” he commented. Rouge merely rolled her eyes.

_Shadow and Rouge have completed Act 1_.

…

He stared out the window toward the hell raging beneath. Many would wilt from such destruction, most would cower in it. Most would condemn such a sight, and turn away from it. But this man in his brown suit, white shirt, and red tie, gazed down to it from out his front window as if it were business.

The doctor slid his finger along a brooch on his shirt, one that held an insignia which resembled his face. His fingers then moved up to his mustache, where he stroked it so. A smile came to him then, and soon after a chuckle. Settling his glasses on his face, his eyes flared a burning red.

To his side, a woman walked to him. She was tall, blonde, and with wonderful blue eyes. In a black business suit, she held a silver platter with a cup of wine sitting upon it. She stood near the man at her side and grabbed the cup, then handed it to him. He took said cup, placed it to his lips, drank the substance within and smiled.

“Ahhh... thank you, Maria,” he said as he gave the cup back, “I couldn't have asked for anything better.”

“Don't mention it, Ivo,” the blonde giggled, “But thank you nonetheless!” her eyes eventually traveled to the window, and they stared out together, “Knuckles will be displeased with what you have done to the zone. How do you plan on finding the Master Emerald now?”

“Knuckles will believe what I tell him to believe,” the man said as he placed his arms behind his back, “Besides, his purpose is complete. Shadow no longer has the Chaos Emeralds, and I need not fear that power he used to drop the Death Egg...”

“More wine?”

“Yes dear... Knuckles already believes Shadow to be a demon – thank you Maria dear – so he will continue to fight against the nuisance... mmfff... ahhh! Maybe he'll get lucky and kill Shadow. Though, I highly doubt it...”

“He was capable of overpowering him before. Why don't you just set the two up to fight one another again?”

“Nien...” the doctor commented, “If Shadow and Knuckles clash, the echidna will surely _die_. Sure, Shadow my fall as well, but I cannot risk Knuckles dying. I need him to find the Master Emerald, and whatever chamber it lays within. I need only for them to occupy each other's time while I search for the Master Emerald. For now...” he smiled, “Maria, ready the Egg Mobile-F. I think I will meet with my old friend.”

“Yes Ivo... though... if I may,” she stared at his face, “Shadow will be alerted to your presence. And the battle he's had with Knuckles will subside as he focuses his main attentions solely on you.”

Ivo smiled at the statement, one which felt so natural and of course evil. Then he chuckled, and soon after laughed. There was something about that question which made the doctor's spirit rise. Something about facing his old foe which ignited his passion. Or maybe he was just plane _crazy_. Who knows?

Honestly? Who knows?

“Maria, you are to run the Flying Battery until my return. See to it my business is complete in my absence.”

“Yes, Dr. Robotnik. Enjoy your time out.”

The man in the business suit parted ways from the woman, instead walking to the chair in control of the area. After sitting upon it, he pressed a button on its arm rest, causing a glass dome to seal him inside. After, he pressed another button, causing a hole in the floor to open. Then he dropped in.

…

_VRRRRRRROOOOOOOORRRRRRRR!_

“What was that?” Rouge asked as she walked to her ally.

Their eyes moved up to the burning night sky together, watching as a mighty airship flew through the sky. It was unlike any of G.U.N.'s airships, being in a completely different style. No, this aircraft looked more like an actual ship, and not the streamlined battleships G.U.N. employed. This more classic style of airship was mainly hidden by the clouds above and smog as well, but they could still see it.

“The doctor's up there...” Shadow claimed, turning away as he did so, “Let's go greet him...”

Shadow started running, and his air shoes ignited. Taking off in chase of the mighty airship above, he had Rouge right at his side. Their unrelenting chase brought them to a cave, and on the other side of the cave laid a long plain. It too set ablaze, yet wide and spacious with its burning grass.

Above them, the airship appeared again. Shadow and Rouge stared at it together, while its deafening roar howled all around them. Suddenly, the two noticed a pair of holes off the bottom of the ship. And from these portholes, bombs fell.

_BAM!_

“Okay! Time to move!” Shadow yelled as he grabbed Rouge's hand, suddenly bursting forward with speed. The two ran through the fields as fast as they could, with bombs falling directly behind the. The ground rumbled and quaked as it was bombarded with explosives, causing Shadow and Rouge to move in zig-zag patterns to dodge them. He'd skate forward, pull back, jump up, slide down, and yet there appeared to be no ending in sight.

“Wait! Over there!” Rouge shouted as she pointed to the forest, “We can escape through there!”

Shadow nodded as he gripped Rouge's hand, flying toward the burning forest at amazing speeds. They just narrowly dodged yet another bomb sent their way, before slipping into the forest. Gazing skyward toward the massive airship, she watched as it drifted away into the clouds.

_WHIRRRR! WHIRRRR! WHIRRR! WHIRRR!_

“What is that...?” Shadow commented as they ran through the burning forest, that eerie sound echoing through the woods.

Their quest eventually brought them over a rickety bridge. Gliding over it, they came to a cliff side which jutted out from a waterfall. Shadow and Rouge came to a stop them, their eyes lining the area around them. Unlike the rest of the blazing zone, this area seemed untouched by fire. Maybe it was thanks to the waterfall rushing over everything, or perhaps just the zone's own magical touch. It was hard to tell.

“Now what?” Rouge asked as she looked at Shadow, gasping for breath in their moment of calm, “What do we chase next, huh Shadow? Because... we don't have anything else going for us at this moment.”

“Not now, Rouge,” Shadow stated, “We have to find that echidna... wherever he is...” he stood up straight and gazed around, “He may have had a head start on us but... he couldn't be that hard to find. After all, he has all seven Chaos Emeralds; I should be able to sense him with ease...” _SPLASH!_ “What... was that...?”

Shadow and Rouge looked to the bridge they arrived on, where they saw a cannon jutting out. It was a dark blue, and sat there with its barrel aimed straight their way. Slowly after, the rest of the machine pulled its body from the waterfall. Large in size, it could easily crush the both of them under its body. Smooth and spherical, this dark blue machine had two cannons on each side.

It levitated over the bridge, slowly, eerily, _demonically_. Then the cannons it owned flared red with life. Shadow and Rouge got ready for a fight, when the cannon shot flames on the bridge below. Burnt asunder, the machine made it impossible for them to return from where they came. Or perhaps it was a show of force.

_SPLASH!_ The machine quickly returned into the waterfall, vanishing.

Shadow and Rouge tracked its shadow, watching as the machine glided beneath the water. Then it returned before them, on the same plan of grass. Hovering above the two mobians, the machine slowly slid down. The water cascading down its body eventually cleaned out, and the glass bubble covering the top became clear. And once it did, his face pulled up.

“Hello, Shadow!” Dr. Robotnik laughed.

 


End file.
